Kabuki is a style of traditional Japanese theater that includes music, dance, and drama. First performed by females, after 1629only male actors could take part in Kabuki, and they played both the male and female characters. Kabuki characters are often drawn from Japanese folklore, and a major part of the Kabuki performance is the dramatic makeup worn by the actors. This makeup is applied heavily to create a brightly painted mask that uses colors in symbolic ways to indicate the age, gender, and class of each character, as well as their moods and personalities.
Kabuki theater began when female attendants at religious shrines began performing a mixture of folk dance and religious dance. These dance performances became very popular with all classes of Japanese people, but the performances often became rowdy and sexually suggestive. This led the government to try to control the effects of the dances on the public, and in 1629 a law was passed banning female performers. Soon, the all-male dances that resulted were combined with elements from a popular puppet theater called bunraku and became Kabuki, a form of traditional folk art that is still popular in Japan today.
Makeup is one of the most important parts of Kabuki theater. Each actor applies his own makeup, with the process of applying makeup allowing the actor to get to know the character he plays. First, the actor applies oils and waxes on his face to help the makeup stick to the skin. Then a thick coat of white makeup called oshiroi is put on to cover the whole face. The white face creates a dramatic look onstage, and many historians believe that the white faces were more easily seen in the centuries before stages were litwith electricity. The oshiroi is made of rice powder, and different shades of white are used depending on the age, class, and gender of the character. On this white face, red and black lines are used to outline the eyes and mouth, which are also shaped differently for male and female characters.
For supernatural heroes and villains, which appear frequently in Kabuki plays, there is a special style of makeup called kumadori. Kumadori is made up of dramatic lines and shapes applied in different colors, each representing different qualities. The most commonly used colors are dark red, which represents anger, passion, or cruelty, and dark blue, which represents sadness or depression. Other common colors are pink, representing youth or cheerfulness; light blue or green, representing calm; purple for nobility; brown for selfishness; and black for fear. There are about a hundred different mask-like styles of kumadori makeup.
The makeup of Kabuki actors is considered such an important aspect of the performance that it is common for actors to press a silk cloth to their faces to make a print of their makeup when the play is over. These cloth face-prints become valued souvenirs of the Kabuki performance.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Leiter, Samuel L. The Art of Kabuki. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1979.
Scott, A. C. The Kabuki Theatre of Japan. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1999.
Shaver, Ruth. Kabuki Costume. Boston, MA: Tuttle Publishing, 1990.
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FAQs
In Kabuki theater, actors wear elaborate costumes and makeup representing traditional Japanese culture. Along with movement and vocal expression, highly stylized, nonrealistic makeup and wigs are used to create characters. The traditional method of Kabuki makeup is referred to as Kumadori.
Why do kabuki actors wear white makeup? ›
Kabuki actors need white powder to prevent color bleeding caused by excessive oil and sweat, with an easy-to-apply, lump-free consistency. Oshiroi must also look impeccable and defined under special stage lights, and provide a stunning contrast to the colorful kumadori makeup.
What do the colors of kabuki makeup mean? ›
The most commonly used colors are dark red, which represents anger, passion, or cruelty, and dark blue, which represents sadness or depression. Other common colors are pink, representing youth or cheerfulness; light blue or green, representing calm; purple for nobility; brown for selfishness; and black for fear.
What are the two types of kabuki makeup? ›
Kabuki makeup, called kesho, came in two types: standard makeup applied to most actors and kumadori makeup which was applied to villains and heroes. While there were hundreds of types of kumadori, only around fifteen types are still in use.
What is the standard makeup for kabuki? ›
Popular makeup for kabuki actors at this time was using white cream on the neck and face. Once the white cream is added, certain facial features are outlined with different colors according to age, class, gender, mood, and personality of that role. White skin was traditionally associated with aristocrats.
Why is kabuki only male? ›
All-male casts became the norm after 1629, when women were banned from appearing in kabuki due to the prevalent prostitution of actresses and violent quarrels among patrons for the actresses' favors. This ban failed to stop the problems, since the young male (wakashū) actors were also fervently pursued by patrons.
Why was kabuki banned? ›
Okuni's Kabuki was the first dramatic entertainment of any importance that was designed for the tastes of the common people in Japan. The sensuous character of the dances (and the prostitution of the actors) proved to be too disruptive for the government, which in 1629 banned women from performing.
Why do kabuki actors cross their eyes? ›
When the kabuki actor strikes a “mie pose” they often cross their eyes for greater effect. “The mie in kabuki has a similar role to techniques like close-ups and stop motion in modern film. It adds a dramatic flair to the production and gets the audience on the edge of their seats.
What does the color blue mean in kabuki makeup? ›
The most famous role to use red kumadori is that of the hero in Shibaraku, Kamakura Gongoro, and has come to stereotypically represent kabuki in the West. Blue makeup is used to represent a villain, human or not, and represents negative emotions such as fear and jealousy.
Which color represents fear in Kabuki makeup? ›
Understanding Kumadori: The Essence of Kabuki Makeup
Red symbolizes strength and passion. Indigo blue and black represent fear and malevolence, often worn by villains and demons. Green signifies ghosts or supernatural beings. Purple signifies nobility.
One characteristic style of kabuki makeup is called kumadori, in which the color and the way of painting the lines changes according to the role. From left: RED for youth, justice, anger and bombastic strength, especially in aragoto style plays. INDIGO for a villain or evil spirit.
What does Kabuki stand for? ›
The term kabuki originally suggested the unorthodox and shocking character of this art form. In modern Japanese, the word is written with three characters: ka, signifying “song”; bu, “dance”; and ki, “skill.”
What does green mean in kabuki? ›
White - Pure (white makeup was worn on the faces of kabuki actors prior to the start of the show to symbolize purity and unity). 2. Green - Youth and Spring (Green is representative of youth, springtime, and life). 3. Red - Passion, Energy, and Strength (Red is often associated with passion, energy, and strength.
What do you call the female role in kabuki? ›
role in Kabuki
special group of actors, called onnagata, emerged to play the female roles; these actors often became the most popular of their day.
What does a kabuki look like? ›
Kabuki (歌舞伎, かぶき) is a classical form of Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with traditional dance. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes, and for the elaborate kumadori make-up worn by some of its performers.
What are two facts about kabuki? ›
Kabuki plays are about historical events and moral conflict in relationships of the heart. The actors speak in a monotone voice and are accompanied by traditional instruments. The Kabuki stage is equipped with several gadgets, such as revolving stages and trapdoors through which the actors can appear and disappear.
What is unique about kabuki? ›
A unique feature of a kabuki performance is that what is on show is often only part of an entire story (usually the best part). Therefore, to enhance the enjoyment derived, it would be good to read a little about the story before attending the show.
Which of the following best describes kabuki? ›
Solution By Steps. Kabuki is a traditional Japanese form of theater known for its stylized drama, elaborate costumes, and the use of makeup to transform actors into specific characters. It often includes singing, dancing, and performances of historical dramas, with actors specializing in specific roles.
Is kabuki makeup or masks? ›
Unlike the Japanese Noh theater, kabuki actors typically perform without masks. However, there is one notable exception. The kabuki play 'Nanatsumen' (The Seven Masks) features rapid role changes, and the main actor utilizes several masks throughout the performance.
